Protecting against theft

[mark02tj]

Check this out - Basically a replacement for your starter fuse/relay. It has to work with the key-fob so when you and the fob are away from the tractor, it won't start. Kind of along the same lines of replacing the starter fuse with a blown fuse.

I don't know if they make them to fit our types of tractors. I had first read about these on a Jeep website that I used to frequent. by the way - same thing on that forum.... NOTHING will stop a determined thief!!

With regards to following the guy with the stolen sawmill, I would have kept following him regardless of what the dispatcher said. I've followed three different vehicles that have come on to our property. You can't see our house from the road and the driveway is about 400' long. Once you're about 1/4 of the way down you can see the house and there's a place to turn around. So, if you've come all the way down the driveway just to turn around once you see someone is home, you're up to no good. Remember - the dispatcher is NOT a cop so they can't ORDER you not to follow. It's merely a suggestion to cover themselves and save the department from liability. I've told the dispatchers that "I'll stop following him once one of your officers pulls him over to see what he wanted."

 

[1Lawman]

Check this out - Basically a replacement for your starter fuse/relay. It has to work with the key-fob so when you and the fob are away from the tractor, it won't start. Kind of along the same lines of replacing the starter fuse with a blown fuse.

I don't know if they make them to fit our types of tractors. I had first read about these on a Jeep website that I used to frequent. by the way - same thing on that forum.... NOTHING will stop a determined thief!!

With regards to following the guy with the stolen sawmill, I would have kept following him regardless of what the dispatcher said. I've followed three different vehicles that have come on to our property. You can't see our house from the road and the driveway is about 400' long. Once you're about 1/4 of the way down you can see the house and there's a place to turn around. So, if you've come all the way down the driveway just to turn around once you see someone is home, you're up to no good. Remember - the dispatcher is NOT a cop so they can't ORDER you not to follow. It's merely a suggestion to cover themselves and save the department from liability. I've told the dispatchers that "I'll stop following him once one of your officers pulls him over to see what he wanted."

Great idea for fuse/relay..I would be interested in having something like that on my tractor..

When I hear stories about ANYONE telling another person to NOT protect their property it just makes my blood boil..NO ONE period has the right to tell another to submit to a thief..I guess I'm lucky to live in Texas..I've never understood why we tolerate crime to the extent we do..

 

[boggen]

watch some videos of wreckers / roll backs on youtube. kinda surprising some companies showing off, how fast they can come in and reposes a vehicle in a couple minutes. with correct equipment. a tractor is easy pickings.

unlike cars/trucks with hoods. tractors generally are wide open for all the fuses, wires, brakes, etc... and on older tractors, 1 key works for all make/model of a given tractor or a whole bunch of models from a given manufacture.

steering wheel locks, wheel locks that work on a car/truck = nada for a tractor. to much room to turn the steering wheel, and tractor most likely laugh at a wheel lock and roll right on over it.

move a lever/joystick and hydraulics release pressure and let things move under there own weight.

unlike construction equipment, were hoods / side panels might have a "welded on" hole were you could toss a paddlock to keep folks from getting into and around the engine... regular agriculture tractors... to smaller cuts / scuts.... are more likely all fiberglass / plastic or like, and would damage the panels / hood if a lock was installed, to keep folks from getting to say the fuel, or turn on a fuel valve or like.

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looking at tractordata for your tractor...
TractorData.com John Deere 5093E tractor information

hoping in it, and just driving off could be a concern, vs someone backing up a trailer and taking off with it.

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would be nice to have some sort of "kids toy" that as it moves about generates a small bit of electricity to make lights flash and like. using something like that make it water proof, and toss it into a tractor tire, before the final bead is seat. little GPS sensor or something... would more likely be a ticket for tractors. or some way stickied or bunge strapped to the rim, before the tire is put onto the rim. heck general wifi access for internet access may even work as much as you can drive around and pickup wireless access from someones router.

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google "car gps theft" looks like a wide range of cheaper units, that you might be able to hide up inside a dash (around steering wheel or a side panel gauge area), and have it tangled up in some wires, so not easy to find / see.

 

[1Lawman]

I'm surprised we don't see more use of gps for this kind of stuff...I know there is a product available that many solo motorcycle guys use when traveling alone that allows for others to track them and find them in the event of an accident in canyon country...

 

[dusty3030]

I'm a big fan of trip wires, pit-falls (with punji sticks), claymores etc...etc...

My man!

 

[Ken]

Yesterday a dairy man closed up his barn and tractor shed after 8 pm and when returned at 4 am saw a light on in tractor shed on thought had left on night before.
Entering the shed to get tractor to feed and saw his tools were gone.
A large John Deere battery charger and John Deere tool chest filled . Call to sheriff Dept. bring list to department.

A Month ago there was a drug sweep in area and 55 druggies were arrested. Most out on bail . need some pawn money to pay the bills.
So if some one offers you a set of John Deere tools be careful.

ken

 

[beenthere]

And one of the ugly culprits in this business is the pawn shops. I'd guess a high percentage of their stuff they buy is stolen.
Never hear of anyone anymore taking their stuff to a pawn shop for money.
The buyers of stolen material are almost as guilty as the thieves. Without the buyers, the thieves would be out of business.

 

[Cat_Driver]

All this stuff like fuse out, battery out etc etc. is useless to a pro. He will just pull up chain up to it and drive off. Number two, bring a trailer and winch, buh bye.
I think today the one thing crooks fear is video surveillance. They have motion detectors now that speak, so when you trip it on it starts talking. IE: THE POLICE HAVE JUST BEEN CALLED....sorry with all out new "visitors" the Voice should say " La polic? ha sido s?o LLAMADO"
Between several lights coming on, and a real video camera and several FAKE cameras, with plenty of warning signs warning of DOG and video surveillance, should get their attention.
But like everyone said NOTHING will stop people from doing what they want to do, just ask Obama about the guy that walked in his front door about security.

 

[Redbug]

One of my friends has the Spot Trace on his tractor at his farm. I think it is one of the best trackers around. You could even put one on your teenager's car to see where it goes...

This thing will send you a text when whatever you it attached it to...moves. You can see it's location on Google maps. You can set it for different variables, too. Cost is around $100 plus around $100 a year for a service plan. It could be a business expense. $200 is pretty good for piece of mind.
SPOT Trace Product

Click on service plans:
SPOT Trace

Instructions:
https://www.findmespot.com/downloads/SPOT_TRACE_User_Guide.pdf

You would need to place it in a hidden place. It can be mounted under wood...but not metal.

One option...it sits in-active, then when your property goes missing, you activate it, pay for the days of activation, find your property, then suspend the activation till next time. Or just buy the full time activation and be done with it.